Camino Day 1 - Puerto Real

The start of our camino! An early rise to achieve distance before the heat of the day. It was still dark as we walked from our room. A few kilometres along the beachfront marked the beginning. Breathtakingly beautiful. Early morning lights glowed in the last vestiges of darkness and locating the familiar yellow arrows that guide our way was as exciting for us as an Easter egg hunt is to a small child. Beaches were broad with soft white sand and gentle lapping of waves. The air was crisp and invigorating. Then like the flick of a switch it was over. Led by the arrows away from the beach, we found ourselves immediately in the industrial zone. From there the walk became more ordinary with a very long straight section along the train and highway causeway. The heat intensified and there was no escaping it, no shady trees. It was draining and I must admit, after 15km I was spent. Currently it should be a maximum temperature in the low 20’s but it is at least 10 degrees hotter. Stopped for a coffee and toilet break and the lure of a taxi was overwhelming.

Puerto Real, our night’s destination, is an interesting community. It supports a modern Airbus plant but otherwise has no appearance of affluence. The area is not as pristine and lacks the charm of Cadiz. (Our opinion only.) Our accommodation is a gentleman’s apartment where we have a small twin room and share the bathroom with him and his two young boys. It is a very compact apartment, up six flights of stairs, no elevator. We went out for a walk about 4.30pm to buy food at the supermarket for dinner. The town was deserted and as such, rather depressing. We bought two salads and yoghurts which we enjoyed down in a park, taking our time, quite contentedly. By the time we wandered back through the town, everything that had closed down earlier had reopened and the place came alive. The streets were inundated with people of all ages and suddenly there was renewed vibrancy. What an amazing transformation! Then an early night. Even the constant pounding of little children’s feet in the apartment above could not keep us awake.

Puerto Real